1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorption refrigerator (including of a thermodynamic heating type airconditioner) and particularly, to an absorption refrigerator which is decreased in overall size by adopting an improved layout of components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Absorption refrigerators are used as cooling systems operated in absorption cooling cycles and their advantage has significantly been focused that the efficiency of energy transfer in operation is high. More specifically, thermodynamic heating type of absorption refrigerator, which can provide a heating operation with an evaporator pumping up heat from the outside air in addition to the cooling operation, is now widely demanded.
For example, such an absorption type air-conditioner is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 6-97127 in which operable are three different modes: a cooling operation, a heating operation of a thermodynamic heating, and a direct flame heating operation (e.g. using a boiler).
Conventional absorption refrigerators are substantially bulky in size and thus unfavorable for use as household appliances. One of undersized modifications of the absorption refrigerator is disclosed as an airconditioner in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. Hei 7-208826. The size of the airconditioner is decreased by adopting an improved joint arrangement between the evaporator and the absorber. The joint arrangement in said airconditioner is not significant but has an absorption tube of the absorber bent in a shape. Since the basic layout of its components remain unchanged as a whole, the airconditioner fails to be modified to a smaller size suited, for example, for home use.